Apparatus for treating articles made from pulp



Aprifi 1 1924. 1,488,974

' O. B. BROWN ET AL.

APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES. MADE FROM PULP Filed Sent. 26, 1921 3Sheets-Sheet 1 gjwuwnfoi cbowa z We Apriil 1 1924., 1,488,974

0. B. BROWN ET AL APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES MADE FRQM PULP- FiledSent. 26. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 gnvewfoz April 1 1924. 1,488,974

0. B. BROWN ET AL APPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES MADE FROM PULP FiledSept. 26. 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 5 44 gram "fox (bound a/05w Ud'ow $519MPatented Apr. 1 1924.

UNITED STATES ,taaen PATENT OFFICE.

'ORTON B. BROWN AND HOWARD PARKER, 0F BERLIN, NEW HAMPSHIRE, ASSIGNORSTO BROWN COMPANY, OF PORTLAND, MAINE, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

AIPARATUS FOR TREATING ARTICLES MADE FROM PULP.

Application filed September 26, 1921. Serial 1T0. 503,336.

T 0 (ZZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, ORTON B. BROWN and HOWARD PARKER, citizens of theUnited States, and residents of Berlin. in the county of Coos, State ofNew Hampshire, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in anApparatus for Treating Articles Made from Pulp, of which the followingis a specification.

This application is a continuation in part of our application, SerialNo. 200,615, filed November 6, 1917, for apparatus for treating articlesmade from pulp.

This invention relates particularly to apparatus for impregnating wallsof pulp pipes, tubes or similar articles, with a material having certaindesired characteristics such, for instance, as water-proofing andelectrical insulating qualities.

In the accompanying drawings Fig. 1 is a diagrammatic layout, in plan,of the installation of theapparatus,

Fig. 2 is an end view, partly in transveizlse section, of what is shownin Fig. 1, an

Fig. 3 is a detail view showing more or less conventionally the meansfor governing the temperature of the impregnating material.

'This invention has been developed in connection with the treating ofarticles made of pulp, for instance, pulp pipes or tubes or similararticles. Such a pipemay be formed by winding a sheet of pulp on amandrel.

until a wall of sufiicient thickness has been formed. then removing thepipe from the mandrel and thoroughly drying it. The pipe must then betreated in such manner as the use to which it is to be put may,determine. lf used as a conduit for electrical wiring, its walls must bethoroughly impreg-' nated with a di-electric and it must also bewaterproof. If it should be used for water pipe it must be thoroughlywaterproofed. This invention has to do solely with the treating of thetubes so that they shall be best adapted for the duty for which they aredesired, and for convenience of description it'will be considered thatthe pipes are to be impregnated with a special grade of pit-ch which isdi-electric and waterproof.

Referring now to the drawings, it will beseen that the completeapparatus comprises a plurality or battery of treating, units arrangedalong each side of a common storage tank a into which the melted pitchis .12 or otherwise.

pumped in any suitable manner. Each of the units comprises a chargingtank I) adapted to communicate with the storage tank a and a treatingtank 0 communicating, as hereinafter described, with the charging tank.The treating tanks are of such size that a large number of pipes can betreatedat the same time, these pipes being supported in suitable cagescl, the top and bottom walls of which are perforated as shown. Thesecages, with the tubes therein, are adapted to belowered into and removedfrom the tanks by a crane or the like. It is of course understood thatthe covers of the treating tanks are removable. and preferably thesecovers are somewhat dome shaped so that gases may collect therein.

Positioned in each charging tank is a pump 11 continuously driven by amotor Each pump 11 has an intake 13 opening into the charging tank 6 inwhich it is located, and the discharge end of the pump is connected witha pipe 14 which discharges into the treating tank near its upper end andis so arranged that the material passing out of the pipe is projectedsubstantially tangentially into the tank so as to have an initialcircumferential 01' .pipe 19. It will be seen that with thisarrangement, to charge the treating tank, the valves 16 and 18 areturned so that the pump will draw the treating fluid from the storagetank a through the pipe 17 and force it into the treating tank throughthe' pipe 14. After the treating tank has been charged, the valve 18 isturned to shut 0d the pipe 17 and open the inlet side of the pumpdirectly to the charging tank whereupon the pump provides means forcontinuously circulating the impregnated material in the treating tank,taking it out of the bottom and returning it to the top. When thetreating has been carried to a suificient extent and it is desired toremove the articles, the valves 16 and 18 may be turned to suchpositions that the treating material can be pumped out of the chargingtank back into the storage tank. By so doing'the treating tank can bequickly and completely emptied before the cover is taken oil and thusany loss of the impregnating material, due to vaporization, iseliminated. It has been found that the best results are obtained byremoving the impregnating material from the bottom of the treating tankand introducing it with a whirling action at the top.

It is essential that the treatment of the pulp tubes be carried outsubstantially at a uniform pressure and that a proper supply of thetreating material to the treating tank be maintained so that the tubeswwill always be covered. To these ends, the bottom of each of thetreating tanks is connected to what may be termed a pressure line 22into. which the treating fluid is pumped from the storage tank a b apositively acting pressure pump 23; t e pump 23 being connected by apipe 24 to the pressure line. The pressure line, at apoint adjacent tothat at which theimpregnating material is supplied thereto, is providedwith a discharge pipe 25 leading back to 25 the storage tank a, and inthis discharge pipe 25 is a pressure regulator of any suitable type.This pressure regulator may be in the form of a relief valve 26, orsimilar apparatus, which can be either manually 0 set to maintain theroper pressure in the pressure line, or whic may be automaticallycontrolled through suitable devices. Each of the treating tanks isconnected to the pressure line by a branch pipe 27 provided with aone-way cook 28 so that an one of the treating tanks may be cut off romthe I ressure line when the treating tanks are eing charged or emptied.

With this arrangement it will be seen that there is a continuous flow ofimpregnating 55 terial but this loss is material through the pressureline and the pressure within this l1ne or pipe is maintained uniform bythe regulating device 26. In the event of excess pressure within thepressure line, the regulator 26 will open allowing more of the fluid toflow back into the storage tank, and, if the pressure falls 1n thepressure line below a predetermined degree, the ressure regulator 26will pre vent any impregnating material going back 1nto the storage tankuntil the pressure is agaln built up. It will be found that the pulptubes being treated will absorb considerable amounts of the impregnatingmaautomatically taken care of by the supply through the pressure line.Also it is found that gases are given ofi inthe treatment of the pulptubes but these gases [which accumulate in the upper parts of the otanks do not disturb the pressure within the treating tanks for theymerely force the impregnating material back into the pressure For thepurpose of maintaining .the im-' B Qg ting material in a fluid, state,the

storage tank andeach of the treating andcharging tanks are heated bysteam coils located within them. In the present instance, the heatingapparatus within the storage tank comprises an upper and lower header30, 31, respectively, connected by tubes 32. The upper header isconnected by a pipe 33 to the steam supply pipe 34. The heatingcoils-36, 36 within the treating tanks and chargin tanks, respectively,are connected by branc pipes to a common live steam line 35 which inturn is connected to the supply pipe 34. The exhaust steam pipe of thestorage tank leads through a condenser drum 38 to a hot water well 39.The coils36 and 36' of each unit are con- .nected by a pipe 40 toexhaust steam pipes 41. breach of the pipes 40 is a condenser chamber ordrum 42.

It is of extreme importance that the temperature in the treating tanksbe maintained approximately uniform in order that the impregnatingmaterial shall be in the proper state of fluidity to most rap-idly enterthe wall of a pipe, but at the same time care must be taken that theheat is not sufiicien y great to burn the fibers from which the pipe ismade up, or cause the wall to split and laminate. For this reason eachof the treating tanks is provided with separate means for automaticallycontrolling the temperature of the impregnating material-therein, andwhile this automatic means may be of any suitable kind or type, we haveshown it, in the present instance, as being effected by governing thesupply of steam to the coils 36, 36', and by controlling the release ofthe water of condensation from these coils, as follows: Interposed ineach of the steam inlet pipes 37 is valve 43' controlled by variationsin the temperature of the impregnating material in the charging tankwith which the particular valve 43 is associated. Interposed in each ofthe exhaust pipes 40 is a valve controlled by variations in thetemperature of the Water of condensation within the condenser drum orchamber 42 with which the particular valve 44 is associated. In thepresent instance. the

control ofthe valves 43 and 44 is effected through the temperatureregulator shown more particularly in Fig. 3. Positioned within eachcharging tank is a mercury or ether bulb connected by a conduit 51 to "adiaphragm 52 which acts through an adjusting cam-52' upon a valve 53controlling the passage of air under pressure from the pipe 54 to thepipe 55 which leads to a diaphragm withinra casing 46 connected to thevalve ,43. 'When the temperature within the treating tank rises, beyondva predetermined degree, the mercury within the bulb 5O expands, raisesthe diaphragm 52, which ii -turn lifts valve 53 from its seat,allowing-the air under pressure to flowthrough ltd of the water ofcondensation in the condenser drum 4L2 falls below a predetermineddegree the thermostatic device 58 with which this chamber is providedand which is similar to that indicated at50, will operate the diaphragm59 and thereby lower the valve 60 and shut off the how of air underpressure to the pipe 61 thereby relieving the air pressure on diaphragmconnected to the valve dd. The spring of this valve will now cause thisvalve to open so as to allow the water of condensation to flow out ofthe (ill condensing drum l2. lit will be obvious that as the smam passesthrough the condensing chamber 42 the temperature thereof will be raisedabove a predetermined de res and the result is that the valve 60 will eraised into open position and the air pressure will act on the diaphrain of the valve at against the sprin thereot to bring the valve lll toits norma osition oorrespondin to the pro determined temperature atwhich the device is set. lit desired, the temperature of theimpregnating material within the storage tank. may be controlled byconnecting up with the valve 65 and the condenser 38 an arrangement suchas is shown in Fig. 3 and which has just been described.

lln accordance with the provisions oi the patent statutes we havedescribed the principle of operation of our invention, together with theapparatus which we now consider to represent the best embodimentthereof;

but we desire to have it understoodthat the apparatus shown is onlyillustrative, and

that the invention can be carried out by other means,

We claim as our invention l. lln an apparatus of the characterdescribed, a treating tank, an outlet at the bottom thereof, an inlet atthe top thereof tangentially arranged to give the incoming ma terial aninitial circumferential motion, and means lt'or transferring theimpregnating magerial from the bottom tothe top of said tan a a 2. In anapparatus. of the character described, a treating tank, a chargingtanlnvan inlet at the top oi? said treating tank tangentially arrangedto give the incoming material an initial circumferential motion, andmeans in the charging tank for transferring the impregnating materialfrom the bottom of said treating tank to said inlet of said treatingtank.

3, lln an apparatus of the character do scribed, a treating tank, acharging tank, an inlet at the top of said treating tank tangentiallyarranged to give the incoming material an initial circumferentialmotion, means in the charging tank for transferring the impregnatingmaterial from the bottom of said treating tank to said inlet of saidtreating tank, and means for heating said treating tank.

at. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, acharging tank, a pump in the charging tank, connections between theinlet side of said pump and the bottom of said treating tank and betweenthe discharge side of said pump and the top of said treating tank, meansfor driving said pump, and means for heating both of said tanks.

5. lln an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, acharging tank, a pump in the charging tank, connections between theinlet side of said pump and the bottom of said treating tank and betweenthe discharge side of said pump and the top of said treatin tank, and amulti-way valve located withln the charging tank at the inlet anddischarge sides of said pump.'

6. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, acharging tank, a storage tank, a pump in the charging tank, connectionsbetween the inlet side of said pump and the bottom of said treating tankand between the discharge side of said pump and the top of said treatingtank, and connections between the storage tank and the inlet side ofsaid pump and between the discharge side of said pump and said storagetank, and valves located within the charging tank at the inlet anddischarge sides of said pump.

Z. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, meansfor constantly agitating the impregnating material in said tank, meansfor supplying heat to said tank, and means controlled by variations inthe temperature of said impregnating material for governing the heatsupply to said heating means.

8. ltn an apparatus. of the character de scribed, a treating tank, steamheating means for said tank having an inlet and an outlet, acondensation chamber connected to said outlet, and automaticallyoperated thermostatically controlled valves associated with the inlet ofsaid heating means and said condensation chamber.

9. In an apparatus of the character described, a closed treating tank,means for constantly agitating the impregnating material therein,heating means for said tank having an inlet and an outlet, meansgoverned by variations in the temperature of the impregnating materialwithin the treating tank for controlling the inlet of said heatingmeans, and means controlled by va- Eli lid

lltl

and means at t riations in the heating fluid at the outlet side of saidheating means for controlling the outlet thereof.

10. In an apparatus of the character described, -a treating tank, meansfor constantly circulating the. impregnating material through said tankbytaking the impregnating material out of the bottom of the tank andintroducing it at the to thereof,heating means for said tank, an meansfor governing the heat supply to said heating means by variations in thetemperature of the impregnating material within the treating tank.

11. In an apparatus of the character described, a closed treating tank,means for constantly agitating the impregnatingmaterial therein, meansfor supplying heat to said tank, and means for maintaining theimpregnating material within the tank substantially at a constantpressure.

12. In an apparatus of the character described, a closed treating tank,means for supplying heat to said tank, and means for supplyingimpregnating material to said tank at'substantially a uniform pressure.

13. In'an apparatus of the character described, a closed treating tank,means for heating the impregnating material therein, a supply line incommunication ,with said tank, and means for maintaining/a constant flowof impregnating material within said supply line at a substantiallyconstant pressure.

14. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, meansfor constantly circulating the impregnating material through said tankby taking the impregnating material out of the bottom of the tank andintroducing it at the top thereof, a storage tank, means for heatingsaid .tanks, a supply l1ne leading from and returning to said storagetank and in open communication with said treating tank, means forconstantly pumping the impregnating material from the stora e tank intothe supply line, e discharge end of the su plyv line for controlling thepressure withm said line.

15. In an apparatus of the character described, a treating tank, meansfor heating the same, automatically operated means for controlling thesupply of heat to said heat- 1ng means, and automatically operated meansfor maintaining the impregnating material within said tank at asubstantially unlform pressure. r v

16. In an apparatus of the character"de scribed, a closed treatingtank,-.means for agitating the impregnating material therein, means forheating said tank, means for govermng the heat supply ,to said heatingmeans by variations in the temperature of the impregnating materialwithin said treating tank, and means for supplying the im re'gnatingmaterial to said tank substantia ly under constant pressure.

. 17. In an apparatus of the character de- I scribed, a closed treatingtank, means for constantly agitating the impregnating material therein,means for heating said tank, means for governing the heat supply to saidheating means by variations in t e temperature of the impregnatingmaterial w1th1n said treatin tank, asupply line in open communicatlonwith the tank, and means from the bottom of the treating tank to theinlet of said treating tank and for transferring, at will, theimpregnating material.

from the storage tank into the treating and charging tanks and from thetreating and charging tanks back into the stora e tank,

a supply line leadin from and disc arging I into said storage tan and inopen communication with said treating tank, and means for maintainingthematerial in said supply line at a substantially constant pressure.

19. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of treatintanks, means for heating each of said tan s, and means common to all ofsaid tanks for maintaining the 'impregating material thereinsubstantially at a constant pressure.

20. In an ap aratus of the character described, a plura ity of treatingtanks, means for supplying heat to said tanks, and means common to allof said tanks for supplying impregnating material to said tanks atsubstantially a uniform pressure.

21. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of treatingtanks, means for heating each of said tanks, a supply line in opencommunication with all of said tanks, and means for maintaining a constant flow of impregnating material within said supply line at asubstantially constant pressure. y

22. In an apparatus of the character described, a plurality of treatingtanks, means for heating each tank, means for governing the heat supplyto each tank by varia-- tions in the temperature of the impre atingmaterial wit in the respective tan s, a

supply line in communication with each material through each tank btaking the impregnating material out o the bottom of the tank andintroducing it atv the top thereof, means for heating said tanks, a sup1y line leading from and returning to sai storage tank and incommunication with all of said treating tanks, means for constantlypumping the impregnating material from the stora e tank into the sup 1yline, and automatical y controlled means or governing the discharge ofimpregnating material from the supp y line back into the storage tank.

24:. In an apparatus of the character described,a storage tank; aplurality of units arrangedthereabout, each unit comprising .tion withall of said treatinfig a treating tank, a charging tank, a pump in thecharging tank forv continuously circulating the impregnating material inthe treating tank and pumping the material from and back into thestorage tank, at will; a supply line leading from vand returning to s'alstorage tank and in open comunicatanks, means for maintainin a constantow of impregnating material within said supply line at a substantiallyconstant pressure, and means for shutting oil", at will, each of thetreating tanks from said supply line.

ORTON B'. BROWN. HOWARD PARKER.

